BBC hopes 50% of people will be able to watch 2010 World Cup on Freeview HD
The BBC has confirmed it will make HD services on Freeview available to 50% of the population in time for next June's World Cup, and to 98.5% of the population by the end of digital switchover in three years' time.
The Freeview HD rollout has been accelerated so that viewers in London, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, Bradford and Birmingham should receive signals by the end of March 2010.
Most parts of the country will get Freeview HD at the same time that they go through digital switchover over the following years.
You can view the full timetable for Freeview HD's implementation on the BBC website, and from January 2010 you'll be able to enter your postcode on the Freeview website to find out when the HD services go live in your area.
To watch Freeview HD you'll need a Freeview HD digital box or Freeview+ HD digital TV recorder. Then connect it to an HD ready TV set, using an HDMI cable and away you go.
From January 2010, viewers will be able to use the Freeview website to find out when HD services will be available in their area.
The UK will be the first country in the world to launch the new 'DVB-T2' technology. This will deliver an increase in capacity of 67% to the BBC's Multiplex B, creating the space needed for HD transmissions.
Comments
Freesat will carry on for those areas that can't get an acceptable digital signal via an aerial
Freeview HD? How many channels in HD? More than two?
If so, is it good bye to Freesat? Which can only manage two HD channels. Betamax,Elcassette,dbx, Philips v2000, Laser Disc, DAT, Minidisc, Digital Compact Cassette,will history repeat its self? Or will it survive on the basis that Freesat covers 100% of Britain?
lol @ proffski , i would second that! Fido i don't believe any current tv can show DVB-T2 without an external box to do the job for it , so most of us will have to spend more cash to get it unless you have sky HD or a current HD freesat box which means you won't be affected
"The UK will be the first country in the world to launch the new 'DVB-T2' technology."
I thought Australia already had HD DVB-T; is it not DVB-T2 then?
Correct. There are no Freeview HD products on the market as yet. Info below from Freeview:
Freeview HD box – available early 2010
Freeview+ HD recorder – available Spring 2010
Freeview HD digital TV – available Easter 2010
Look out for the Freeview HD logo to ensure you have an approved product.
could be wrong but pretty sure no current tvs/set top boxs ect have 'DVB-T2' chips in them. If your tv claims it has freeview HD decoding its probably for DVB-T which is used across most of europe - reason why play tv in the uk has had to drop the HD tags from its advertising as we won't be able to get it whilst large portions of europe can!!!!!!
Can any current TV's decode freeview HD? I've got a Sony W4000 and a few websites indicate that it already has the freeview HD decoding hardware built in. Can anyone confirm if that is correct?
I would quite happily pay a little extra to the BBC if they ensured that I never saw football in any form on my Televisor Machine ever again!!!